The Ephemeral Rose
by Unnamed Wanderer
Summary: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.
1. Chapter One

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

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><p><strong>The Ephemeral Rose<strong>

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><p>"<em>But he that dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose." Anne Bronte<em>

…

"You're coming to dinner, aren't you?"

Two young women in their early twenties, coffee in hand, passed through the threshold of the Tokyo General and out towards the parking spaces around the corner, dressed in pretty pink and practical brown against the plying fingers of the morning fog.

"Of course!" Usagi flashed a bright grin over the lip of her paper cup. In high spirits Usagi spun on her heel but faltered as she tripped on the pavement, espresso saved at the last minute. "…Oops," she said, turning pink.

Her companion shook her head at the blonde's antics. There was never a dull moment with Usagi.

"I'm thinking about buying that dress I saw in the shops last week." Usagi pulled at the tassel of her scarf, sipping the delightfully warm liquid.

"Don't you have enough clothes, Usagi?"

"Oh! You can never have enough, Ames!" Usagi spun again. She grinned as she completed the turn without fault. "Ha ha!"

Ami watched with apprehension. Perhaps switching Usagi to decaf would be a wise choice.

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><p>Word count. 173<p> 


	2. Chapter Two

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong>The Ephemeral Rose<strong>

* * *

><p>The man was heavier than she thought. Reika cursed softly under her breath as his heels dragged across pocked asphalt.<p>

Struggling to take a few paces from her car the question of her sanity surfaced. But what else was she supposed to do? The man had fainted right in front of her. He needed to be taken to a hospital and no one else was going to do it.

She couldn't just leave him there. Who knows what could have happened to him?

Her steps were awkward as she shuffled backwards, arms wrapped around his middle, fingers laced together across his chest as he lay limp in her grasp.

Why'd the guy have to be so heavy?

A dead weight, that's what he was.

She stole a glance behind her to check the path, face brightening as she spotted two girls heading around the corner. Unhooking an arm, she waved desperately at the pair, shouting, "Hey, you!"

Blonde and bluenette turned, taking stock of the situation. "Please, help!" she begged. "Hurry! Come quickly!"

Anxiety lengthened their strides as the girls rushed over, divesting Reika of her load.

The younger of the two smiled warmly at Reika as she adjusted her hold. "It'll be okay."

Reika hesitated briefly before hurrying after the pair. She didn't know what she could do but she wouldn't leave him until she was sure the man was safe.

She owed him that much.

"Come on, the hospital is just up the road."

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><p>Word count. 246<p> 


	3. Chapter Three

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong>The Ephemeral Rose<strong>

* * *

><p>A bouquet of wildflowers lay quiescent on the small table nearby as Usagi fingered the cream blinds that created divides to the clear sky. The room's mint green walls had become quite familiar to her in the three days she'd stayed here. Humming softly, a small smile on her lips, the blonde slipped the posy in a simple glass vase, settling the blooms into place.<p>

She'd grown quite fond of her 'patient', who was, unbeknownst to Usagi, beginning to stir.

The sound of clacking high heels followed by another tapping pair echoed down the corridor, coming to a standstill as a soothing voice entered her hearing. It was Ami's mother, Doctor Mizuno.

Suddenly, Ami poked her head around the corner, bangs falling into her eyes, chuckling softly at Usagi's absentminded expression. The bluenette gave a backwards glance as her mother came to stand beside her.

"Come on, Usagi-chan! Time for lunch."

A befuddled mind wearily focused on the strange girl, who's countenance brightened to rival the sun before rushing to an idle visitor's chair, grabbing her winter coat and dashing around the corner with two others. Departing with one final sweep of the room, she left him mesmerised by her vivid cerulean blue eyes.

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><p>Word count. 204<p> 


	4. Chapter Four

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong> The Ephemeral Rose <strong>

* * *

><p>Five days. Five days, and he had yet to stay conscious long enough for conversation. He was <em>Boushi<em>(1). No wallet, no records, no name.

No clue as to who he was or where he came from.

He was feverish, for the most part restlessly slept the days away, intermittently crying out, voicing an unknown pain. Finding the symptoms was easy but there was no visible cause.

Not even the woman who brought him in, Reika Nishimura, could offer in a shred of assistance.

The man was in perfect health, physically at least.

Usagi couldn't help but worry. He had no one to care for him and even if she did visit him often it wasn't the same. Her shoulders dropped with a forlorn sigh, absently swirling the straw of her milkshake around the stemmed glass.

Concerned, Motoki, arcade manager and friend, strolled over to Usagi, sitting down on the stool beside her. Usagi manage a tentative smile and proffered her empty glass.

Plucking it from her grasp he set it aside, drawing the girl he saw as a sister under his arm. "How are you feeling, Usagi?"

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><p>Word count. 188<p>

Notes:  
>(1)<em>Boushi<em>: Literally means unnamed person


	5. Chapter Five

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong>The Ephemeral Rose <strong>

* * *

><p>Under sharp fluorescent lighting, Doctor Nami (2) Mizuno hurried down the corridor, with quick steps, head down, leafing through the tabs of the half dozen manila folders filled with patient records.<p>

Abruptly turning a corner Ami's mother collided with an exuberant blonde.

The world tipped and Nami found herself flat on her back with a rather nice view of the ceiling. _Hm, __was __it __always __that __colour?_

A distressed face popped into her vision accompanied by Usagi's flustered apology.

"Sorry, sorry! I'm so sorry, Mizuno-sensei. I didn't mean to! I—"

"Calm down, Usagi." Nami took the girl's out stretched hand, rising to her feet. "It's all right. No, ah…" she surveyed the damaged, papers strewn in a virtual explosion, "_permanent_ harm done."

The full time doctor clicked her tongue, fixing Usagi with a pseudo glare. "Come on, you better help me pick these up, Tsukino."

"Yes, ma'am!" Usagi saluted.

With a wry smile Nami crouched down and began collecting papers. "Hey, Usagi-chan."

"Mizuno-sensei?"

Nami chuckled. "I've got some good news."

"What is it?"

"You know that young man you've been caring for the past few days? He's awake."

"Really?" the blonde asked with wide eyes.

Placing her assembled papers on Nami's pile with particular care Usagi paused, smiling sweetly, before dashing down the opposite hallway shouting, "Thank you, Mizuno-sensei!" as she went, twin golden pigtails fluttering behind her like stray comets.

Two flights of stairs and a sharp left later the blonde stopped in her tracks, the soles of her shoes grousing at the effort.

_How on Earth was she going to introduce herself without freaking him out?_

_It's not like she was a stalker or anything…_

Word count. 276

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><p>Notes:<br>(2) Nami – female/male – of great renown; a wave

A/N: I'm sorry for not updating in ages but I've been snowed under with assignments and stuff. Hopefully I'll be able to update the next chapter quicker but I'm still in the middle of assessment so it may take a while.


	6. Chapter Six

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong>The Ephemeral Rose <strong>

* * *

><p>At the threshold of Room 264 Usagi Tsukino timidly peeked around the open door.<p>

Her 'patient' was currently sitting up in the single elevated bed, a pillow tucked behind him and a hardcover book propped in his lap. He appeared to be a world away from the mint green walls, grey linoleum, white beds and white ceilings of the impersonal room as his midnight blue eyes flickered across the page.

It was the first time she'd seen his eyes…

Said eyes slid in her direction, causing the young woman to flush in embarrassment. Having been caught, Usagi slipped into the room, a red cast still high on her cheeks.

"Um, hi, I'm Usagi…"

Her only reply was the crinkling of the cotton hospital gown and the perplexed face of the room's occupant. Trying to will the redness away from her cheeks, Usagi shuffled over to his bedside.

The young man frowned, marking his page before slipping the volume under his bed.

"I'm Usagi, a volunteer at Tokyo General. Ah, I've been…" she began.

As Usagi tried to introduce herself and explain her presence the young man was more preoccupied with her odd hairstyle – golden blonde hair drawn up in twin buns, pigtails trailing from the simple knots.

"You're hair is weird… Lumps…"

_What—?_

Her bewilderment quickly turned ire. "They're not lumps, they're odangos!" she insisted, tugging a stray lock of hair.

"Odango Atama?"

Usagi's mouth fell open.

_Who was this guy? Dumpling Head? __Was he serious?_

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><p>Word count. 247<p>

A/N: I once again apologise for not updating sooner, I hadn't quite realised how hectic this new term would be. I hope to have the next chapter up in a week or two - and I plan on sticking to it. Also, I've gone back and edited part of chapter four so it's a bit more realistic.


	7. Chapter Seven

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong>The Ephemeral Rose<strong>

* * *

><p>There was nervousness outside Room 264, as the blonde and blunette stood in the hallway as if waiting for some signal. They were on a 'mission' as Usagi called it ... a ridiculous mission but a mission nonetheless.<p>

And as they waited for some unknown sign that would allow them passage into Room 264 five minutes had passed.

Ami was tempted to push the restless blonde into the room for all the fuss she was making.

Her job was the back up, the moral support – all for the price of a fortnight's free Irish coffee. It was a good deal but she still thought this was silly.

With a sigh Ami glanced over Usagi shoulder, nothing had changed. The guy was still favouring the view out the window – the same thing he'd been doing for the past six minutes. She wondered what he saw out there.

Exasperated, the blunette strolled into the room, coming to a stand still at the foot of his bed. His piecing eyes were still glue to the window.

Bypassing his rudeness, Ami smiled amiably at the man. "Good morning."

Her greeting, too, was ignored, his attention rather focused on Usagi as she darted into the room, settling partly behind Ami.

Amused he asked, "Hiding, are we?"

Usagi huffed but didn't answer.

Trying to diffuse the rising antagonistic atmosphere Ami spoke, "I'm Ami Mizuno, a medical student, and this is Usagi Tsukino, who I think you met yesterday. And you are…?"

Midnight blue eyes flickered in their direction before landing on the far wall.

"Why are you here?"

Behind her, Usagi fumed, snapping in an acidic tone. "What do you think it looks like? We're just trying to be friendly."

The man was silent so long Ami was beginning to think he wouldn't answer.

He sighed, his head rolling back against the bed with a muffled thump.

"Mamoru Chiba."

"What?" Usagi asked.

"My name, Mamoru Chiba."

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><p>Word count. 320<p> 


	8. Chapter Eight

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong> The Ephemeral Rose <strong>

* * *

><p>Mamoru Chiba. A good name, Usagi decided, rolling easily off the tongue. Too bad he didn't match up to such a nice name. First <em>and<em> second impressions didn't lean in his favour.

He was a rude and impossible.

favour She had much preferred when he couldn't talk or look down on her with condescending eyes. It would have been much better, all in all, if he had just stayed asleep.

Despite his decidedly snobbish attitude she still felt drawn to him. Maybe it wasn't her desire to help people that she opted to care for him. Maybe she was curious. He was quite good-looking… all things considered.

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><p>Word count. 106<p> 


	9. Chapter Nine

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong>The Ephemeral Rose <strong>

* * *

><p>Once again Usagi was at Mamoru's bedside. The young man was due to stay a couple of days longer for observation.<p>

He was sleeping. Ruffled raven black hair fell in his eyes, long eyelashes splayed across his cheek, breath coming out in short puffs, and a woollen blanket tucked under his chin. While he slept all his concerns seemed to be swept away. He was cute like that – childlike.

Usagi tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear, fingers trailing across his cheek.

What could have happened to Mamoru Chiba to turn him into such a pain in the neck? He wasn't really _what_ he said but how he acted, the way he carried himself.

"Who are you, really?"

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><p>Word count. 120<p> 


	10. Chapter Ten

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong> The Ephemeral Rose<strong>

* * *

><p>Image his surprise when Mamoru Chiba woke, a little disorientated and groggy, to find Usagi sitting at his bedside, reading <em>his<em> book. Moving as stealthily as his sleep-laden limbs allowed, Mamoru adjusted his position. Rolling his shoulders the young man noted a crick in his neck. Mamoru mentally glared at the offending muscle.

Beside him, the blonde remained oblivious, turning a page of the red bound book.

Mamoru blinked with wide eyes, briefly wondering how long it would take before she noticed him.

_Why __was__ she here, of all places, with him?_

It was a question he'd asked before … one that had not been well received.

His eyes flicked back to Usagi – golden blonde hair, cerulean eyes and a gentle innocence – _Why?_

She giggled, eyes dancing as they flitted across the page.

"What are you doing?"

Startled, Usagi sat up, ramrod straight. "Reading," she replied, woodenly.

"Reading what?" he asked.

"A book."

"My book?"

"Maybe." She looked away, embarrassed.

He sighed, suddenly weary. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, why do you keep coming here? You must have better things to do."

"When you came in you didn't have any ID on you," she answered in earnest.

Mamoru raised a dubious eyebrow and Usagi elaborated. "We didn't know who you were. You didn't have any contacts. And now you're awake, you still don't. I don't mean to offend you, but I though I'd keep you company."

"So you pity me?" He gave an undignified snorted. "I don't need it."

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><p>Word count. 255<p> 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong> The Ephemeral Rose<strong>

* * *

><p>"Here, pick a card."<p>

"Why am I doing this?" Mamoru asked, turning a sceptical eye to Usagi's smiling face and hand of splayed playing cards.

The blonde pouted, brining the cards back to her lap.

"You said you were bored. Now you're not." Deciding her logic was infallible, Usagi nodded to herself, shuffling the deck before fanning them out and thrusting them under his nose. "Problem solved."

Her voice was too chipper for so early in the morning.

Mamoru shook his head in mild amusement. "This doesn't solve anything."

"Yes, it does. Now pick a card."

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><p>Word count. 96<p> 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Pairings: Usagi x Mamoru, Usagi x Seiya

Synopsis: A man turns up at Tokyo General Hospital with no name or contacts. Alone in the world, a volunteer at the hospital, Usagi, takes him under her care. In close quarters feelings bloom. But not all feelings are requited.

* * *

><p><strong> The Ephemeral Rose<strong>

* * *

><p>"You don't mind if I eat this, do you? I forgot my lunch."<p>

The blonde menace had taken his green jelly cup and was reaching over his tray for the plastic spoon. The best thing – or the only good thing – about hospitals was the jelly. And his had been _swiped_.

Just because his food tray had been sitting there untouched for a while didn't mean he was going to eat it. Nor was it any less of note that his hunger had only made itself evident as Usagi dug in.

She was enjoying _his_ food far too much. Cute.

With an impish smile, he nicked the jelly cup from her loose grip.

"Mine," he said, popping a forkful into his mouth, smug.

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><p>Word count. 122<p> 


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